


Like from a novel

by Swagyano



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 02:12:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8082661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swagyano/pseuds/Swagyano
Summary: Their date was supposed to be fake, but at the end of the day Riko enjoyed it with her crush a little too much to consider it anything but fake, and knows she needs to do something if she wants to experience another day like this with You.





	

How’d they get into this mess again?

The lingering thought wouldn’t leave Riko’s mind despite how well she knew exactly how it all started. She honestly felt bad, the whole day and their entire date passed by and half of it she spent anxiously over thinking everything. It’s just a date. _It’s just a fake date._ That’s exactly what she had to keep reminding herself.

Again and again, her mind continued to replay the events that led up to this.

* * *

 

 “I’ve got an idea! Riko-chan, why don’t you just pretend to be You’s date for a day? That’ll surely make people back off!”

Chika was the one who suggested it, smiling and eyeing the two other girls who were sitting across each other.

The issue at hand was something that was unintentionally getting into the way of their training as of late. You was always popular with the girls. Of course she would be, she’s good looking and talented, on top of that very charming. Riko would be lying if she denied that she sometimes felt jealous of all the girls that admired her were able to approach her like it was nothing. But every since Aqours have been raising in popularity, so was You. Sometimes there were swarms of fangirls, some that would even interrupt their practice. Other girls were getting a lot of love too from their local fans, but You couldn’t catch a break lately.

And it was starting to exhaust her. Therefore everyone got together in hopes they could figure something out to help their friend. And their bubbly leader, You and Riko’s closest friend, was the first and only one to come up with an idea.

“E-Excuse me?!” Riko blinked at the girl who was pointing at her with radiant confidence. Her sight then moved onto You, who was staring at Chika with the same amount of shock and confusion on her face. “F-Fake… date…? You mean like--?!”

“Mhm!” The mischievous grin spread on Chika’s face as the entire room had their attention on her, quiet murmurs of the other members exchanged back and forth as they tried to make sense out of it. In the end, it wasn’t that hard.

“It’s nothing harmful, right~? We can still all meet up at the carnival together, but you two just have to spend most of the time together! You don’t even have to go too far with anything and people might get the idea. It wouldn’t be the first time you two hang out together, and surely people will start leaving You-chan alone! Whaddaya say?!”

Silence. After exchanging glances, Riko stared at Chika, who proudly put her hand on her hip and winked at her. Riko’s face grew red and she was ready to pounce on Chika across the table.

After all, Chika knew very well how Riko felt. Since she was her closest friend, she thought it would be easier to just confess to her that she had fallen for her childhood friend. Chika accepted that very well and kept the secret safe, though, that didn’t spare her the teasing or trying to get the two to pair up during some assignments. It was never anything too harmful though, so aside from being embarrassed at that moment Riko didn’t really mind it. Was this why she suggested this as well?

Her lips curved into a concerned frown and she looked at You again. The poor girl who was caught up in this entire mess seemed to still be processing everything in her head as well. “Y-You-chan… would you be okay with this?”

You just shrugged and flashed a semi nervous smile. Maybe it was because Riko looked so worried that she tried to joke with the situation. “Well… if you think you’re fine with it then, it’s a date?”

* * *

 

 

And now they were here, strolling down the beach in the rays of the setting sun and exhausted from a long day. Even with Riko’s occasional anxiety aside it was pretty fun. Maybe to people who were unaware of what was going on they did seem like a couple, which can be embarrassing to think about but still what they aimed for. To ‘spice it up’ there were occasional random hugs and even hand holding here and there. And for some moments, Riko was even able to let herself believe it really was an actual date.

Almost as if on cue that the silence between them was getting too long, You turned around to check up on Riko with a small smile. “You alright Riko-chan? You seem exhausted.”

Riko’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t the first time it happened, especially not today. You always looked so nice, especially when she smiled. She almost felt ashamed for admiring her like all those fans that chase after her and got them into this.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired like you said. Long day.”

“Yeah, I gotta agree.” You chuckled, tugging on her sleeve slightly. “There’s a bench over there if you wanna sit down for a bit! Fireworks shouldn’t take too long from now.”

The pair made their way over and sat down. It had a pretty view on the ocean, and somehow it all just felt really refreshing. Perhaps it’s because this is the first time in hours that they’re away from a bigger crowd. Completely alone, on a ‘date’.

Thankfully there was a small breeze that helped Riko keep her cool. She’s surprised she even made it this far without accidentally making herself look like an idiot.

“Gahhh, the ocean looks so nice right now I’m half tempted to dive right into it for a refreshing swim!”

That’s so typical of You, Riko thought to herself with a chuckle. “I don’t think the water is all that warm right now.”

“Y-You’re probably right.” You responded with a grin, taking off her snapback and wiping her forehead with it. “Though swimming really helps me clear my head sometimes, y’know…”

Riko nodded. Yeah, she’d love to be able to clear head for a moment as well. Could it possibly be that You thought of the entire date as a burden? Did it bother her? Riko got nervous just thinking about it and fell silent again. Was she doing something wrong? No matter how much fun they’ve had at the end of the day there seemed to be some sort of small tension, and Riko couldn’t wrap her head around it. It was getting a little frustrating. Mostly because she couldn’t help but to blame herself. She was the one acting strange this entire time.

“So how’d you like the carnival? It comes around for a few days every Summer! That’s why it’s usually so crowded, everyone in town tries enjoying it as much as possible.”

“It was really nice.” Riko responded softly, grateful that You kept the conversation going. It helped her bury all the anxious thoughts, even if for a short moment of time. “It’s definitely different than some that I’ve went to at Tokyo. It was smaller- but the atmosphere felt so much greater? I guess that’s how things are in smaller places like this.”

“You’re right!” You beamed with happiness and pride, how could Riko not blush at such a cute face. Even when she wore her dorky glasses You still looked charming. “It’s why I love this town, it feels like a home.”

“A home…”

Another silent session. They remained close, both pair of eyes set on the ocean view. The sun had completely set and it was getting darker. Only when it was quiet like this, could the music and a big crowd of people be heard from way further away where the carnival and all the excitement took place. Out here, it was just the two of them. It felt like they were isolated, and it was certainly a welcoming atmosphere.

“H-Hey, Riko-chan…”

You was the first one to break the silence, and she sounded unusually nervous which quickly caught Riko’s attention.

“I’m… sorry...” Her voice got quieter and with a taint of guilt on her face, You bowed her head low. The pair of golden eyes widened at the sight and the girl quickly stood up. Riko didn’t expect such a sudden change from her companion.

“You-chan?”

“I was kinda afraid you were forcing yourself to do this from the start,” You chuckled in a nervous fashion, finding it hard to raise her head up and to look at Riko in the eyes. “But you shouldn’t have pressured yourself for my sake..! I’m, I really am grateful you wanted to help me out with this whole mess and came along today, it’s really thoughtful of you, so if you didn’t have fun today or if you’ve been feeling uncomfortable, I’m sorry…”

Riko’s hands reached for her shoulders and shook the girl ever so slightly in order to get her to stop talking. Blue eyes widened and You finally gathered the courage to look up at the other, freezing at the sight of Riko’s small smile. And Riko felt a little stupid for not noticing that the entire time You worried over same reasons.

“You-chan…” She lightened the grip on her shoulders. “That’s not it at all, I really had fun! I’m sorry for leaving such an impression. I just worried that maybe… you were the one who felt forced and uncomfortable with this whole idea.”

The two stared at each other for a while. The silence was eventually broken as both girls fell into laughter, finally feeling relieved and letting go of the tension on their chests.

“Ah, I feel kinda stupid now! I probably should have asked sooner!” Silver haired girl smiled and nervously rubbed the back of her neck. Her free hand fidgeted with the snapback on her lap. Riko sat back with a quiet giggle, close enough for their shoulders to brush against each other. It was intentional, but it’s not something Riko would admit out loud. And You didn’t seem to mind as the two stayed sitting so close to each other.

“I was thinking about this though…” Riko murmured. “Do you really think this will help? I didn’t want to say anything but… Chika’s plan is a little flawed. Do you think the girls chasing you will stop after seeing you hanging out with someone just for a day.”

You nudged the worried girl, smiling to herself. “‘Course I thought about it. It’s not as simple as that. But y’know…” Either by accident or on purpose You’s hand inched closer to Riko until they were brushing against one another. Just the simple sensation of You’s skin against her caused Riko to blush, and she could hear You’s voice was faintly nervous. “It seemed like it would be a fun thing to do either way.”

Riko felt her face grow hotter and she was glad that it’s gotten dark enough so she doesn’t have to worry if You would notice or not. Trying not to be too obvious, she gently leaned onto the other girl and felt her body relax. Just thinking about how she’s sitting here with the girl whom she’s in love with,  leaning against each other and their hands touching felt so unreal. When Chika suggested this wild idea she never thought it would come down to this, maybe she’ll have to thank the girl next door later.

This time the silence felt much more comfortable. Now that they got their worries off of their chest, it was just that much easier to enjoy the moment, and Riko’s thoughts trailed back to everything they’ve done today.

All the rides they were on, all the game booths they’ve visited (and You absolutely dominated), the food they shared and how embarrassing but fun it was. They’ve won quite a number of prizes too that the other members of their group took off their hands and promised to take care of until tomorrow. And of course that haunted house they went into, although it was something they’ve done with everyone else. While the talk of the day was probably Dia nearly fainting and The Great Yohane’s shrieks, all Riko could recall from there was how tightly You held her hand the entire time. Not because they were on a pretend-date, but because Riko admitted she’s feeling nervous and You wanted to help her relax.

She thought about how fun it all was. She wondered if she could ever relive something like that with You again. No, she definitely wanted to go on another date with You.

Maybe she was just getting carried away by the moment, but something inside her was hurrying Riko to take the moment as an opportunity to be honest. She’s always been afraid that one day one of the girls who approach her might actually win You over. What would she do if that happened? They’d never have a day like this again. After today, she definitely couldn’t even imagine You being with someone else.

As if there was a small Chika sitting on her shoulder and cheering her on, Riko stood up to face You.

“You-chan!” She exclaimed louder than she intended. You stared with bright, puzzled eyes. This was embarrassing and now that the moment of adrenaline was gone, Riko felt like there was a rock stuck in her throat. Negative thoughts started swarming in, what if You says no? That wouldn’t be the problem. What if You never wants to face her again or feels too awkward to continue being friends? That would be the worst. The stomach ache kicked in and Riko felt like she would faint if she doesn’t speak up. Did all the girls who confessed to her feel like this?

“You-chan I… you…”

Deep gulp, and the rock in her throat was gone. The words came out of her mouth fast. It was now or never.

“I-I really like you! I’ve been admiring you for a long time-- you’re so, so… amazing! A-And always so cheerful and funny and you help me relax, s-so I…!”

You still hasn’t said anything, and she couldn’t see her. But there was no turning back now. There will be enough time to regret things later.

“I-I understand if you don’t feel the same, I’m sorry if I made this inconvenient, but...this fake date, it felt real to me.”

Her face must have been tomato red. Her eyes remained shut in embarrassment and it felt like the world around her was spinning. One second felt like a decade. And still no reaction from You. _Stupid Riko, I should have kept my mouth shut_.

Already on the verge of tearing up from all the nervous thoughts, Riko was ready to apologize again and again if needed. When finally she felt the girl in front of her move, and the sudden feel of a pair of hands grabbing her owns made her jump.

Golden eyes snapped open and, tilting her head upwards, they met the sapphire ones. The grip on her hands tightened. You’s hands weren’t soft like Riko’s, they were rougher. But they were warm, and Riko gripped them in return. An unusually shy smile appeared on You’s flushed face.

“Y’know… I already thought I was gonna go home full of regrets tonight. I never thought I’d be too afraid to confess my feelings first.”

Riko’s eyes were finally teary, although out of happiness. It was hard to contain this feeling. Relief, absolute happiness, hope. With the burden off of her chest and butterflies in her stomach, Riko practically jumped into the embrace of silver haired girl, arms wrapping behind the back of her neck and You released a laugh. She caught her, arms tightly wrapped around her waist.

They stood like that for a while, in a tight embrace with relieved smiles that stretched from ear to ear on their faces. There was an occasional happy tear as well. It wasn’t until the fireworks started that You finally pulled away and sat back down, pulling Riko along to her side. They had a lot to discuss now. 

* * *

 

 “May I kiss you…?”

The question came up quietly, inaudible to anyone else but Riko as they were whispered in her ear. It was getting late, the two were at the nearby bus station where You was waiting for the last late-evening bus that will pick her up.

“Y-Yes…” Riko mumbled out her response shyly and so quietly, You wouldn’t have known she gave an approval if she hadn’t seen her nod. It’s risky..Somebody could see them. But either of them could care less right now. They were hidden away in the corner of the booth, away from the world.

They ended up this way purely through a joke. It all started with ‘it’s getting chilly’ from Riko, followed up by You’s too generous offer to lend her her jacket, to Riko protesting because then You would be cold. In the end, they settled the issue with an agreement that a hug would keep them both warm. Now they were here, Riko practically pinned against the booth and You holding her closely, their faces resting on each other’s shoulders in order to hide the embarrassing blush and their hearts racing like they just ran for ten kilometers.

Swallowing down the nervousness, You brought her face closer to Riko’s--

_Thump._

Their noses bumped against each other spontaneously and the girls couldn’t help but to giggle. It helped them relax if anything, and Riko did You a favor by removing her glasses for her. Their eyes closed and their lips finally met. Riko felt like she lost all the gravity and the only thing that existed was You and her lips that tasted almost like the ocean.

What a silly way to have the first kiss, she thought. It’s something she only ever read about in her novels, and that's honestly how this whole day felt like. Except it was even better than she imagined. 

* * *

 

When Riko exited out onto her balcony, Chika was there like she said she would be in her text message. The girl seemed half asleep already. The rest of Aqours must have had a blast at the carnival. When Riko and You parted ways with them it was already pretty wild, even though Kanan seemed to have everyone under control at that time.

Upon spotting her, Chika’s sleepy smile turned into a sly grin. “No need to tell me anything~” And despite how sleepy she seemed, she still sounded as energetic as always. “You-chan told me everything already.”

“R-Really?” Riko fidgeted, feeling a blush creep on her cheeks. It’s not surprising, they’re best friends since childhood after all. But how much did You exactly tell her?

“I’m glad you two managed to work it out, finally.” Chika hummed as her head rested on her hands, making Chika raise a brow curiously. “She’s been wanting to do that for a while now, you know.”

“Wait…” Riko finally started connecting the dots. She released a quiet gasp upon realization. “You mean you knew this entire time?!”

As one would expect, Chika just flashed another smile and shrugged. Typical of Chika. “Of course! I couldn’t tell anything, after all I promised both of you I’d keep it a secret.” She stuck her tongue out playfully, winking. “Besides, it really was something you two had to do on your own. And I’m honestly happy for you two,”

Riko felt embarrassed, but it all made a bit more sense. Chika wasn’t just teasing her, she was genuinely trying to help both of her confused friends. Every time Riko thought she can’t possibly be more glad she met Chika, she finds more ways to amazing. Both her and You were lucky to have such a wonderful friend.

“Anyways, you two better be careful now during practices and all! Flirting to minimum! You don’t want to get scolded by Dia, do you now?”

That sly grin on her face accompanied by a snicker made Riko pout. Well, the teasing is still there, and she had a feeling it was going to get worse from now on.

“Well, night Riko-chan! Don’t forget we have practice early in the morning!”

“... Chika-chan wait!” The maroon haired girl stopped her and shyly smiled, waving goodnight. “...Thank you.”

Chika’s face lit up with happiness and she waved goodnight as well, retreating to her room. Riko has done the same, falling down onto her bed.

As she was getting ready to bed her phone buzzed. It was from You, and Riko immediately smiled and read through the messages.

 

 **You-chan❤︎** : Riko-chan!

 **You-chan❤︎** : Tomorrow after practice I want to take you somewhere, ‘kay?

 **You-chan❤︎** : It’s a surprise!

 **You-chan❤︎** : Goodnight <3

 

Giggling and swiftly replying with a goodnight, Riko already felt excited for tomorrow and she hasn’t even slept yet. Perhaps she won’t even be able to. As she stared at her ceiling she recapped her entire day. Only this morning she was laying here, anxious and worried, and now she can go to sleep feeling completely happy and excited.

  
Where will You take her, she wondered. From now on, every day is bound to be full of exciting surprises, and Riko was looking forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Terrible titles remains terrible.  
> I've gotten into YouRiko mood and I really wanted to write something thing more proper with them this time. I might have slipped away from my original goal for this, but I still kinda like it. If anything I really had fun writing that kiss scene, I hope you guys enjoyed it!


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